LaVall Jordan on IU basketball: 'When I look at their ceiling, I say pretender.'
Former Butler basketball coach LaVall Jordan, who is appearing on the "Field of 68" podcast this season, isn't sure the Indiana Hoosiers are legit.
After the team's win over Nebraska on Wednesday night, Greg Waddell asked Jordan if he thought IU is a national title contender... or a pretender.
'I came back to do big things':Trayce Jackson-Davis adds another line in storied IU career
More:Development of IU's wings/guards gives Hoosiers versatility it's been lacking — and needs
"The Hoosiers, at this point when I look at their ceiling, I say pretender," Jordan said. "Not that they're not good. They're gonna challenge for a Big Ten championship. Firepower. When they went to Rutgers and Trayce Jackson-Davis doesn't have a Trayce Jackson-Davis typical night, who else is it going to come from? I think he had four turnovers in that one. Xavier Johnson, who's been playing tremendous basketball, he had six turnovers in that one. Miller Kopp hit five 3s, but their lack of consistent shooting... they nailed them tonight, I think they had 11 or 12 3s. Tamar Bates got going, Trey Galloway made them tonight. But they're only hitting six (3-pointers) a game, and they're not monsters on the glass, like we talked about with UConn and Houston.
"If you can find a strategy to stop Trayce or contain Trayce, then the firepower around that, how’s that go? (Jalen) Hood-Schifino may be an X-factor. In the North Carolina game, he dropped the first eight points. It was like, ‘This kid, can he consistently bring that to the table so that they can make that deep run?’ Their defense is phenomenal this year. Do they have firepower down the stretch? Who's got the ball in their hands to make the play?"
"When I look at there ceiling, I say pretender." -@LaVall_Jordan
Is Indiana a real National Championship threat?
AFTER DARK: https://t.co/fl84dMHziS pic.twitter.com/pndXMQAL5m— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 8, 2022
Patric Young, a former Florida standout, agreed, saying the Hoosiers' ceiling is a Sweet 16 team.
"I definitely don't see them as a national championship contender," he said. "Trayce Jackson-Davis is one of those guys you want to see in the tournament and cheer for and hope he can make a big run, and he possibly can. He can pass it, he can finish, he can push it, he can protect the basket. But will it be enough? When you get to the tournament, it usually always comes down to the guards. Is there enough guard play if he gets into foul trouble or is limited, to help them win a game, to win a few games to make a run? I don't think so."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU basketball: LaVall Jordan not sold on Hoosiers as title contenders
